Universal Life Church Online Seminary Course

This is a course about the history of spiritualism and the basics of different belief systems. It's written with the idea of counseling in mind. When you counsel to others, it's imperative that you understand where they are coming from. By understanding this fascinating history of philosophy and how different philosophies came about, you can best counsel the people who come to you for help.

From the author:

"This is a class on the re-emergence of spiritualism in the modern world. In this course you will learn much regarding the history of western intellectual thought and the associated development of religion. This course is different from many of the other courses in that it is not designed to teach spiritual enlightenment as much as it is designed to aid in your ministerial abilities.

One of the most difficult challenges facing any minister today is the challenge of speaking to a person who is scientifically minded. Such people do not believe in anything they cannot see and touch, nor will they believe in anything that cannot be “proven” using modern scientific methods.

These people tend to ridicule those of us who believe in mysticism and they find our beliefs to be ridiculous in the extreme. However, these people are being drawn toward some form of religious belief due to the fact that their scientific view of the world leaves them wanting. Science is great, as far as it goes, but it cannot provide man with meaning in life. It is this lack of meaning that drives such people toward a spiritual enlightenment.

My intent in these lessons is to provide you with the information you will need to be able to effectively minister to these people when they at long last seek you out. It should be understood that when scientifically minded people begin to search for meaning, they are easily put off by discussions that those of us who are spiritual would find inspiring.

For this reason, a careful and knowledgeable approach is necessary. If you move too fast too soon into metaphysical discussions, you will scare these people off. I will provide you with information and ideas that will be of great assistance when ministering to these people.

Why is this important? The answer to that can be found in the realities of our modern world. Science has penetrated nearly every aspect of our existence and for many people—even spiritually minded people—science exerts a strong influence. Even spiritually minded people find it difficult to defend their spirituality when confronted with those who are scientifically minded.

But science has progressed to the point that it has itself proven that mysticism is at the heart of all things. I know that many people who already believe in mysticism find such a thing to be unnecessary, but we must remember that we are not ministering to ourselves, we are ministering to people who are searching for meaning. It is important therefore that we learn to minister to all people. "